Rates will be halved for almost 1000 “flood-impacted’’ properties in Rochester as part of a $1 million savings package applied to rate notices, if a recommendation by Campaspe Shire Council is accepted at Tuesday night’s meeting.
There were 998 properties listed in the Campaspe Shire meeting agenda that had received secondary impact assessments by Emergency Recovery Victoria contractors.
Rochester ward's Cr Paul Jarman has been front and centre since the October flood event, with the Campaspe Shire financial support package a continuation of the council’s work during the flood recovery period.
Due to the severity of the flood, many residents remain uncontactable and, according to shire figures, there are more than 1500 other properties that could qualify for rate cuts.
As a result of the significant displacement of residents, a high number of assessments will not be completed in time for the supplementary rate process to occur.
Before landing on the recommendations, four options to implement the financial relief program for non-assessed flood-impacted properties were considered by officers.
Council has used Catchment Management Authority (CMA) flood mapping to identify an additional 1508 properties which may have been impacted by flooding for assessment.
Properties that have been assessment were rated from as serious as “water above flood level and demolition order in place’’ to ”water on property’’.
The bulk of the assessed properties, 744 in fact, had been rated on the fifth level of the flood scale.
There is a delay in the update of secondary impact studies due to homeowners not yet returning to their property and a variety of other reasons, including homeowners being anxious about allowing stangers into their homes.
Four of the 998 homes assessed had to be demolished, while 36 were uninhabitable and 92 had water above floor level, but were habitable.
Of the remaining assessed homes, 122 had their property flooded but the water remained below flood level, and in 744 cases the residence was not flooded, however the property was isolated or impacted by flood water.
A recommendation will be made tonight for all flood-impacted properties that had received a secondary impact assessment but not been through the supplementary rates process to have adjustments applied as per the Victorian Valuer General process.
Any properties that are subsequently identified and assessed as being flood-impacted will also receive the rate adjustment, if the recommendations are accepted.
Among seven recommendations made to the shire’s nine councillors at Tuesday’s meeting will be to approve a 50 per cent rate adjustment for 2022-23 to all properties which had been impacted by floods that had not yet had a secondary impact assessment and been through the supplementary rates process.
There will be $588,000 in savings for non-assessed properties in the flood-impacted catchment area as a result of the adjustment, if the recommendation is accepted.
There will be a further $500,000 in savings for assessed and non-assessed properties through a recommendation to waive municipal charges.